My Affiliates

Friday, May 12, 2017

Wander and Ponder: Elegance, Jelly Jars, and Cozies

This is the week where I have been drawn to politics like a moth to a flame. I-must-stop-and start writing about pleasant things... The other day I wrote about "An Elegant Life." I pointed out ideas to add a touch of elegance to your life. A reader gave me some good things to ponder about "elegance." She suggested that "elegance is more than a collection of objects, but a state of mind, confidence, and a sense of peace... and how you interact with the world around you."She is correct. I had thought earlier around the same lines while I was writing the original post. I had thought about "elegance" being a gentle spirit and always acting in kindness, and mindful of others and our surroundings. What stopped me from continuing that chain of thought is I am an imperfect person. I have a lot of work to do with my own "spirit," before I start suggesting to others to get their "spirit" in check. Giving myself a break, I do think the older I get, I think I improve. To sum it up, as I wrote in the article, I think "elegance" is a state of mind. Be aware. Be conscious. Treat your own self with kindness, and I think it becomes easier to treat others the same. Also, don't forget to reach into the china cabinet that never gets open and take that beautiful French crystal wine glass Aunt Bessie gave you from its perch and use that beautiful glass to drink your morning juice from instead of that old Ninja Turtle jelly jar. And speaking of jelly jars...

Jelly Jars: Am I the only one who saves the jelly jars from Bonne Maman fruit preserves and jellies? I even save the caps just in case I want to seal the contents such as: whole spices, bouquets of posies, refrigerator pickles, candle holders, string or button storage, hard candies, and even use them for picnics to store food or use as glasses. Also the perfect wine glass for that Italian themed spaghetti dinner party.

If David Lebovitz, author of dessert cookbooks and Parisian life can save his jelly and mustard jars, then so can I. Cozy Mysteries: So I have been reading this genre of books, downloading numerous on my Kindle, and even dabbled a few words to write my own; but it wasn't until this week at a writer's support group did I learn that what I have been reading has a name. Just in case you are behind like I am, what is a "Cozy Mystery?" It is also referred to as "cozies." They are a sub-genre of crime fiction in which sex and violence are downplayed or treated humorously, and the crime and detection take place in a small, socially intimate community. Typically the heroine of the crime fiction is not a detective nor any type of a law authoritative figure, but often an owner of a bakery, bed and breakfast, cupcake shop, antique shop, flower shop... any shop owned by a woman and especially in a small intimate community. Many cozies will also come in series.

Why am I reading "cozies" of all things? They are fun, mindless, and quick. They are also affordable to download on Kindle, especially through book clubs like BookBub and Bargain Booksey. They are sweet forms of entertainment during a time when the news is depressing. It's a nice way to escape. Hope you escape somewhere this weekend, if only inside a book.